4 Ways to Think Outside of the Box

Recently I visited my brother in Kentucky and he mentioned that I had a few boxes in his basement.?Somehow, these boxes got mixed up with his items as he moved around over the years.?We went downstairs and he showed me four boxes.?Excited, I tore into each box.?It was like a time capsule of my life:?one box for college, one for music, one for flying and the last box – career.

1. College Box

• My college box contained many papers and case studies I presented along with books and letters from my family while I was away at school and special mementos that brought back fond memories of the hard work and support from my family and friends.?
• Like many people, it never made sense to retain all of my books, papers, etc. but there were some items I simply couldn’t part with.?I had self-funded my college education and it took me seven years to complete because I had stops and starts working to earn money to pay for books and school.?I strongly felt that some of my books needed to be retained because I worked so hard to pay for them.?
• There was a letter I wrote to my local Senator and Congressman asking for some leniency to prevent me from paying back my student loans while I had to take a brief stop from school to work and earn money to pay for my education.?It was a frustrating experience and I’m certain that other people in my situation were suffering with this dilemma.?
• My point is that while it took seven years to get my degree, it made me appreciate it so much more since I paid for this on my own.?This was a special box filled with many accomplishments and hard work.

2. Music Box

• Upon opening this box, I could see the countless pieces of sheet music along with the one most treasured piece:?the piano solo to ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ by George Gershwin – all 31 pages filled with my notes written in pencil.?I opened it and there was a lovely note inside:?Happy Birthday Love, Mom and Scott.?
• Growing up, I loved music.?We always had a piano and music in our home.?I was able to hear a piece of music and play the tune on the piano.?My mother put me through countless years of piano lessons.?I hated them because the teacher wanted to always start at the beginning – the very essentials on how to play and very simple tunes to learn to play.?I couldn’t stand it and was constantly going to the last page of each music book, demonstrating that I could master that particular book.?Finally, I had a teacher that advanced me to more challenging pieces and this was where I flourished.?
• You see, music wasn’t just a hobby, it became my therapy while growing up, working out so many issues in my teenage mind.?I look at the piano that’s now in my brother’s house – it’s like an old friend.?Had I not been exposed to music growing up, I don’t know where I’d be today.?I stopped playing the piano after I graduated from college.?I didn’t have access to a piano, and I was laser focused on my career.?Looking back, I wish I had continued playing because it was one of those things that helped develop me into a more well-rounded individual.?Coincidently, this was something I was considering starting again so I see this as an omen for me to make this happen and I’m excited.

3. Flying Box

• Opening this box reminded me of my fascination with airplanes and a story my mother would tell me, where other kids my age wanted to go to parks or the zoo but all I wanted to do was go to the airport and watch the airplanes.?I so badly wanted to learn how to fly.?My family was on the very lowest end of middle class, my parents were divorced, and I had to figure out a way to get this itch scratched and fulfill my dream.?We lived in a small town and the regional airport (prior to 9/11) was very accessible to the public.?
• I always remember driving by Hillman Flying Service at my little airport.??One day, shortly before I graduated from high school, I borrowed my mother’s car and drove to the airport.?This time, I didn’t drive by Hillman Flying Service.?I parked and marched myself in the building.?Inside, it was filled with so much aviation memorabilia.?It was like visiting a mini-air museum and I smiled and immediately felt like I was finally home.?A lovely lady welcomed me in and introduced herself as Mrs. Edith, the wife of the owner, Wes Hillman.?I explained my story to her and asked if I could talk to Mr. Hillman and learn more about flying.?I inquired about the cost to learn how to fly and quickly realized I was so out of my league.?I explained my situation and passion for aviation.?I had never flown in an airplane, commercial or private but I subscribed to airplane magazines and read them from cover to cover and learned the different types and models of airplanes.?Wes was an interesting man with many years of experience teaching countless people how to fly and thousands of stories to share.?He offered to take me up and try it out and see what I thought.?That was the most memorable day of my life.?
• He showed me how to complete the specific procedures to prep an airplane before we fly – completing a detailed preflight around the airplane and then climbing inside the plane to complete the procedures needed to start the engine.?The most exhilarating part of this experience was the takeoff.?It was so special and powerful. I was amazed to see what my small hometown looked like from above.?Long story short, I was able to begin flying lessons that day with a handshake agreement that in return for learning how to fly, I would work for them and help run Hillman Aviation, answering calls, washing their airplanes, and even learned how to do some light mechanical work on the planes!?
• That was beyond anything I could have dreamed and I owe the Hillman’s so much for their love and generosity.?They also exposed me to many people in the aviation community and I even joined The Experimental Aviation Association’s local chapter.?The club purchased a 1940 Taylorcraft that had been neglected and found in the woods nearby.?Together, the club began to refurbish this former airplane, I got the very best training on wings and ribs and learned how to clean the ribs inside the wings that we could recover and learned how to build a jig to produce new ribs.?
• I met someone who was a commercial pilot and a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association.?She purchased an antique plane to rebuild and fly – a Culver Cadet.?She asked me along with other members to help her rebuild the plane. ?Inside my box, I came across a magazine featuring her and that lovely airplane, showing the fruits of many months and years of labor on the airplane, all shiny and red with cream color wings.?Knowing my name along with other members who helped was written on the spar inside the wing gave me immense pride.
• Sadly, with college as my priority and funding up to me, I eventually gave up flying. ?I needed to prioritize my life and focus on my degree.?It’s ironic, the countless commercial flights and business travel I’ve experienced over the years, it’s just like another day in the office but seeing any airplane in the sky gives me awe and happiness.?I’m so thankful for that experience and the Hillman’s along with many others for helping me realize my lifelong dream.?

4. Career Box

• What amazing career opportunities I’ve had!?I was fortunate to keep pivotal items and created a portfolio of the projects I completed.?Items from being a Distribution Manager for GTE in North Carolina, creating their first ever kiosk store-within-a-store program with a grocery store chain to the advertising we created.?I was also fortunate to hire a couple of MBA students as interns one year and together, we worked on creating a financial model for our Authorized Agents to determine how profitable they could be by investing and selling our cellular phones and service.?
• Additionally, I created specialized training not only for our Authorized Agents but for the Account Managers who cared for these Agents.?I remember one time where we invited them for a week-long training that included dressing for success, legal 101, co-op advertising 101, branding, public speaking and so much more!?I also remember working late at night and into the weekend to perfect our kiosk presentation to the grocery store chain – it had to be perfect and succinct.?I created a multi-million-dollar budget in my department, collaborating with each department director to ensure our goals and projects were in synch to align with our division goals.?
• I was nominated by our VPGM to be part of their special corporate marketing management program.?This program allowed exposure to some of the best ivy league professors of business and marketing in the country.?I was able to spend two amazing weeks in Stamford, Connecticut, in their management facility to do a deep dive in business and marketing.?I was truly lucky and blessed to have had that opportunity.

Conclusion

• These four boxes I compiled, consolidated and saved help define who I am today.?I say this as I started looking at my current resume.?Resumes are intended to provide a short, concise presentation of our abilities and achievements.?Today, I see a person with a degree, who has worked in the telecommunications industry. I’ve also learned and achieved so many things and experienced so many opportunities outside of the industry. ??I need to use this to demonstrate who I am and what makes me the best candidate for a company.?In an environment that we are currently living in, with countless technology layoffs on a daily basis, it made me rethink my job strategy and to learn to not sell myself short.?My experience is mine alone to share.
• If I don’t talk or write about it, how will anyone know??If I only focus on the here and now, I’m not telling my true, authentic story.?This valuable exercise has helped me recreate my resume and demonstrate the depth and knowledge of not just business but life.?And for that, I’m forever grateful. ?Does it mean that merchandising in telecom is my end-all-be-all??Nope, in fact, it happens to be a passion of mine to help stores turn their business into retail selling machines and adds to my marketing and business skillset.?My skillsets can be applied to any job with any company today.?As I conduct my own job search, this is helping me stay focused on what makes me who I am today.

?I hope that my story will help you rethink, reshape and recreate your true resume; don’t ever sell yourself short.?Take the information that's inside your boxes and turn it into a story to show your true, authentic self.